Air conditioner cover



Dec. 24, 1963 M. SANOFF AIR CONDITIONER COVER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 22, 1960 N W. 1 6% E M W Y B M. SANOFF AIR CONDITIONER COVER Dec.24, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 22. 1960 INVENTOR. MEL VIN SANOFFBY mma k ,w

A r TORNEY United States Patent 3,115,0s2 AIR CQNDITHBNER COVER MelvinSanoff, 86 E. 94th St, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Mar. 22, 1960, Ser. No.16,743 3 Claims. (Cl. 9837) This invention relates to a cover for airconditioning machines and, more particularly, to a cover unit for a slimline, window or wall room conditioner, the outer side of whichconditioner is substantially flush with the surface of the window orwall in which it is located.

Recently, the air conditioning of working and living spaces has become aroutine procedure in the construction of office buildings and apartmenthouses, even factories and private homes. Central refrigerating plantsare often employed to cool air which is then conveyed via extensiveinsulated ductwork to the various spaces to be air conditioned. Centralair conditioning apparatus is difiicult and expensive to install inexisting buildings and oftentimes it is considered to be more desirablefor each room, apartment, ofiice or working area to have its own airconditioner over which the occupants have sole control. For thesereasons, window air conditioners have been extensively adopted; they arenow a familiar sight in many American cities, their unseemly formsprotruding conspicuously and unattractively from hundreds of windows.

With the invention and development of newer air conditioning machinery,it has been feasible to reduce the size of the air conditioner cabinetso that it may be mounted flush with the outside wall or window andstill not extend too obtrusively into the room to be cooled. Such flushmounted units preserve the integrity of the architectural lines of thebuilding exterior and are also functionally superior, requiring fewercleanings, since they do not have any large horizontal areas on which tocollect grime and refuse.

Although air conditioners are sometimes constructed to additionallyfunction as heating and ventilating devices, in most of the UnitedStates their primary function is to cool and dehumidify the air on hotsummer days and nights. Consequently, they stand idle in winter, as wellas most of autumn and spring, more than half of the year. During thisperiod exterior openings in the air conditioner should be securelycovered to avoid undue exposure to the elements, which can lead torusting of some moving parts and impairment of delicate controls. Dir-tand dust, which find their way inside the air conditioner when it isidle and uncovered, also tend to interfere with its efficient operationand, when the conditioning action is inaugurated after a period ofinactivity, might result in blowing of dust into the room to be cooled.

To protect room air conditioners during the period of colder weather,when they are not used, it has been customary to wrap them in waterproofcloth or plastic covers. Usually, such covers have encased the entireprojecting window or wall mounted conditioner, tightening being effectedby a drawstring or other similar means. Due to their design and theapparently accepted requirernent that they enclose the entireconditioner, these covers had to be flexible, yet capable of beingtightly drawn into intimate contact with the conditioner cabinet, evenover sharp edges. Consequently, the plastics, or waterproofed clothsused, tended to wear through or weaken at strain points, necessitatingperiodic replacement. After a few years use, if they lasted that long,the covers appeared dingy and unattractive. Then, too, such envelopingcovers are not easy to install properly in place, must usually be builtto fit only one size or style of machine, and cannot be adapted for usewith air conditioners Whose exterior cabinet faces are flush orsubstantially flush with a window or wall surface.

The present invention provides an attractive closure which positivelyprotects an idle room conditioner of the flush mounted type against theeffects of the elements, dirt and dust, during non-use. It is easy toinstall and remove, can be cleaned with a minimum of effort, isadaptable for use with a wide variety of designs of air conditionercabinets and in a variety of types of installations, all of theseadvantages being obtainable at very reasonable cost. The present closureis not subject to drying out, cracking or wear; it will remainattractive and new looking for years. As may be desired, it can betransparent or may be opaque and designed to conceal the presence of anair conditioning cabinet or air passages. Other advantages andattributes of the invention will be apparent from the followingstatement of objects, and with the subsequent detailed description inthis specification, considered together with the drawings and claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cover for flush mountedroom air conditioners that can be readily installed, from either insideor outside the building, requiring only a minimum of effort forinstallation or removal.

It is an object to provide a cover for such air conditioners which willpositively prevent entrance of outside dirt, dust, and naturalprecipitation into the air conditioner during periods of extendedidleness.

It is also an object to provide such a cover which will seal off theopenings in the face of an air conditioner cabinet to prevent passage ofair, dirt, dust and precipitation through the cabinet, therebypreventing heat loss and keeping the conditioned room clean.

Another object of the invention is to make a cover which can easily beapplied to any of a variety of styles and sizes of flush airconditioners, with a minimum of modifications thereof or attachmentsapplied thereto.

Another object is to make a cover from readily available parts or partseasily and economically made from standard stocks. It is also desirablethat the cover should be one with insulating properties to minimizeconductive heat losses.

Still another object is to make a cover that will tend to preventcommunication of outdoor noises into the room; such a cover should notiself make flexing or rattling noises in reaction to drafts, winds andambient pressure changes.

It will be appreciated that all these objects and more have beenattained by the present invention, as exemplified by the specificationand drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical front elevation of the cover of this invention inplace on a flush mounted air conditioner cabinet;

FIG. 2 is a partial, enlarged vertical section along plane 22;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial front elevation of the cover, illustratingthe guiding supporting brackets into which the cover is placed and whichhold the cover bottom against the air conditioner;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the outer part of an airconditioner cabinet, illustrating the positioning of a cover;

FIG. 5 is a prespective view of one of the brackets shown in FIGS. 1-4;

I FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the installed cover, utilizing a singleZ-bracket as a bottom support;

cover ends;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a Z-bracket;

FIG. 9 is an elevation of a cover which is to be installed by slidinginto position along vertical tracks or channels;

and

FIG. is an elevation of a cover being slid into position alonghorizontal tracks.

Numeral 21 designates the external cabinet portion of an airconditioning machine 23. As illustrated, the machine is set in place inthe brick wall 25 of a building and is capable of conditioning the roomof whch the brickwork constitutes a part of the exterior wall. Louvers27 are cut and pressed through parts of substantially flat cabinet wall29, hereafter referred to as the front of the conditioner. Other typesof louvers may also be used but the type illustrated is preferred forreasons of economy and ease of manufacture. Openings or passages 31between the louvers permit the passage of air to and from the airconditioner when it is in use. If desired, louvers 27 may be positionedso that outward air flow direction is downward instead of upward.Cabinet wall 29 is rounded at edges 33 and joins short sides 35. Asshown, the front 29 of the conditioner projects slightly from buildingwall 25 but is still substantially flush with that wall. If desired, thefront may be made exactly even with the wall so that there is not even aslight interruption of its continuity.

Within the walls and the room being conditioned are the mechanical andelectrical mechanisms which bring a mixture of inside and outside airacross cooling coils, cooling the air and condensing out some of itsmoisture, and then direct that air into the room, simultaneouslyexhausting heat created by compression of the refrigerant in therefrigeration cycle. Also in the machine, within the walls or room, aremost of the various interconnected controls, switches, relays and otherparts which maintain the machine in safe and accurately regulatedoperation. Such elements are of conventional construction, are notrequired parts of this invention and are not illustrated in the drawing.

The cover 37 comprises a rectangular frame 39 of rigid material,preferably a metal, such as aluminum. Set in the frame is a cover plate41, preferably of a formretaining insulating material, such as glass orplastic, having a smooth surface to facilitate cleaning and to keepclean longer. Around the inner edge 42, of the frame 39, which ischanneled about the cover plate 41, is a gasket (not illustrated),usually a vinyl plastic, which prevents passage of air or dust throughthe cover-frame joints. Around the inner flat surface 43 of frame 39 1sanother gasket 45. This gasket is a continuous strip or fitted strips ofsponge material, held to the frame and of sufficient thickness, betweeninch and /2 inch, usually about inch, to effectively seal the joinder offrame 39 and cabinet wall 29, the resilience of the sponge allowing thecover to conform perfectly with the conditioner front, despite thepossible presence of surface irregularities on the air conditioner.Polyurethane foam gasketing has been found to be ideal for this applicaton, being of excellent resilience and also being less susceptible tohardening and cracking with age than is rubber.

At the bottom of the cover is a pair of specially constructed brackets47 and 49. The shape of these brackets is best shown in FIG. 5. They maybe characterized as slanted Z-brackets or tilt brackets, the upper edge51 extending farther outward from the conditioner front than the loweredge 53. The brackets are Z-shaped in cross section and the upper edge51 strongly resembles that characterizing Z. Brackets 47 and 49 arefastened to air conditioner front 29 by screw 55, such as sheet metalscrews or other self-tapping screws, which pierce inner sides 57 and 58of the bracket and cabinet wall 29. When fastened in place on theconditioner, brackets 47 and 49 guide the frame to position, connectingsides 59 and 61 restricting lateral movement, and outer sides 63 and 65preventing outward movement of the cover and guiding it against theconditioner as it is lowered into place.

After lowering to position, the cover is also herd tightly against theconditioner at top and sides by the action of appropriately distributedswivel clips 67 which are fastened in movable relationship to the coverby sheet metal screws 69. After lowering the cover into place, withbrackets 47 guiding the bottom pant of the frame into contact with theair conditioner front and holding it there, swivel clips 67 are turnedso as to press the frame of the cover tightly against the airconditioner. The entire operations of installing and removing the covercan be completed in less than thirty seconds and the seal obtainedbetween cover and conditioner is air tight.

Although the above description was of a preferred em bodiment of theinvention, as shown in FIGS. l-5, in which the means for holding thecover comprised two special lower corner brackets and swivel clips,other brackets and channels may also be used for this function, some ofwhich are illustrated in FIGS. 6-10. Thus, a Z-bracket 71, shown in FIG.8, may be the sole central support for a cover, as in FIG. 6 or a pairof such brackets 73 and 75 may be located at the ends of the cover, asin FIG. 7. Channels 77 and 79 may act as vertical tracks, as in FIG. 9or channels 81 and 83 may be horizontal tracks, as in FIG. 10, allowingthe installer merely to slide the cover into place. At the bottom, inFIG. 9 or the right side, in FIG. 10, are other channels 85 and 87,respectively, to hold those ends in place.

Means may also be provided to exert a force against the top and leftsides of the covers illustrated, but are not necessary; in someembodiments, channels 85 and 87, or equivalent holders may also beomitted, reliance being placed on the tracks to maintain sufficientforce against the cover frame. To obtain such action it is evident thatthe distance between channel wall and air conditioner front must be lessthan the thickness of the cover plus foam gasket. Instead of channels,extending Z-shaped brackets or extrusions may be substituted, or othersuitably shaped guides may be employed. Alternatively, in place ofchannels 85 and 87, the vertical tracks 77 and 79 or the horizontaltracks 81 and 83 may 'have their ends turned inwardly to provideextending lips so as to act as supports for the frame. In this way onlytwo tracks instead of three are necessary. The polyurethane foampreferably used as gasketing is resistant to tearing and slides fairlyeasily, thus, can be slid through the length of the channel without lossof resilience or objectionable change of shape.

The advantages of the cover assembly of this invention over the coverspreviously used is evident from the previous description and discussion.The neat, attractive, functional construction, simplicity and ease ofinstallation and removal, foolproof operation and economy attendant itsuse are all apparent. Added to these is the superiority of the presentinvention for use with flush air conditioner installations, where clothor plastic wraparound covers are almost impossible to installsatisfactorily.

Flush air conditioners are usually located either in a window or near toone. Thus, access may be had for easy installation of the presentcovers. The brackets and tracks will be so situated to allow mostconvenient installatgm of the cover from the nearest point of access.

Brackets, channels, swivel clips and other holding means may be weldedor otherwise sealed to the air conditioner when it is manufactured orthey may be fastened in place on an installed machine. The latter courseis the most usual. If sheet metal screws are employed and arejudiciously placed, the guide and holding means may be removed from theair conditioner, if desired, with only a few inconspicuous holes totestify to its having been present. To effect placement of the bracketsand clips it is necessary only to drill 5-10 holes for sheet metalscrews, depending upon the particular brackets chosen. The use of atemplate facilitates neat and accurate placement of the screws inposition where they cannot contact working parts of the air conditioner.By such a technique an air conditioner can be fitted with a cover inless than five minutes.

A significant advantage of this invention is the fact that it can bemade largely from economical, readily available, standard parts. Thoseparts, such as the special bracket mentioned above, which cannot bepurchased on the market, can easily be made by bending sheet stock.Aluminum or other frames are on the market, with channels for the coverplate of glass, plastic, fiberboard, wood or other thin, fiat,form-retaining material; with some material it is possible to dispensewith the use of the frame, the cover, itself, being held directly to theair conditioner.

While conventional gasketing or a Weather stripping material may be usedon the frames, it has been found to be highly preferable to employ aresilient, open celled polyurethane foam which has previously beencoated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive. Of course,conventional cements may also be used, as may rubber foams and otheraccepted gasketing, but without the advantages of the preferred gaskets.Polyurethane does not take a permanent set, even when subjected for longperiods to a distorting force. It is resistant to tearing and will notadhere to the air conditioner front, unlike many plasticized plastics.If it should he wanted to remove the gasketing for replacement, it is asimple matter to strip it from the frame, the adhesive remaining on theplastic, not partially holding to the frame, requiring scraping thereofbefore attachment of another gasket.

The invention has been described in conjunction with severalillustrations of preferred embodiments. It will be evident to one ofskill in the art that equivalents may be substituted for the variouselements described, which modified forms of the invention will be Withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An air-conditioning machine cover assembly for a substantially flushmounted air-conditioning machine positioned on the outside of abuilding, said assembly comprising a substantially flat exterior frontend of said air-conditioning machine mounted substantially flush withthe adjacent exterior surface of said building and having an opening forcommunication with the interior of said machine to permit the passage ofair to be conditioned in said machine, a form-retaining cover plate ofsuificient size to overlie the opening in the front end of theairconditioning machine, said cover plate being held over the opening inthe front end of the air-conditioning machine and against the front endof said machine in airtight engagement thereagainst, guide meanspositioned on said front end for removably positioning the cover plateover the opening and exerting a force on the cover plate with acomponent of the force being normal to the surface of the front end ofthe air-conditioning machine, said guide means having a surface which,on positioning of the cover plate, applies a force pressing the coverplate against the air-conditioning machine front end, and forceexertingmeans at a point spaced from said guide means, pressing the cover platetightly against the front end and holding said cover firmly in place,thereby preventing passage of air through the cover and also preventingrattling of the cover against the front end of the air-conditioningmachine.

2. An air-conditioning machine cover assembly for a substantially flushmounted air-conditioning machine positioned on the outside of abuilding, said assembly comprising a substantially flat exterior frontend of said air-conditioning machine mounted substantially flush withthe adjacent exterior surface of said building and having an opening forcommunication with the interior of said machine to permit the passage ofair to be conditioned in said machine, a form-retaining cover plate ofsufiicient size to overlie the opening in the front end of theairconditioning machine, said cover plate being held over the opening inthe front end of the air-conditioning machine and against the front endof said machine in airtight engagement thereagainst, guide meanspositioned on said front end for removably positioning the cover plateover the opening and exerting a wedging force on the cover plate with acomponent of the force being normal to the surface of the front end ofthe air-conditioning machine, said guide means having a surface which,on positioning of the cover plate, applies a Wedging force pressing thecover plate against the air-conditioning machine front end, andforce-exerting means at a point spaced from said guide means, pressingthe cover plate tightly against the front end and holding said coverfirmly in place, thereby preventing passage of air through the cover andalso preventing rattling of the cover against the front end of theair-conditioning machine.

3. An air-conditioning machine cover assembly for a substantially flushmounted air-conditioning machine positioned on the outside of abuilding, said assembly comprising a substantially flat exterior frontend of said air-conditioning machine mounted substantially flush withthe adjacent exterior surface of said building and having an opening forcommunication with the interior of said machine to permit the passage ofair to be conditioned in said machine, a form-retaining cover plate ofsufficient size to overlie the opening in the front end of theairconditioning machine, said cover plate having a resilient stripattached about the periphery of the inner side of said cover plate whichis held over the opening in the front end of the air-conditioningmachine and against the front end of said machine in air-tightengagement thereagainst, guide means positioned on said front end forremovably positioning the cover plate over the opening and exerting awedging force on the cover plate with a component of the force beingnormal to the surface of the front end of the air-conditioning machine,said guide means having a surface which, on positioning of the coverplate, applies a wedging force pressing the cover plate against theair-conditioning machine front end, and forceexerting means at a pointspaced from said guide means, pressing the cover plate tightly againstthe front end and holding said cover firmly in place, thereby preventingpassage of air through the cover and also preventing rattlin of thecover against the front end of the air-conditioning machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,660,072 Munroe Feb. 28, 1928 2,229,388 Postlewait Jan. 21, 19412,324,043 Tolley July 13, 1943 2,466,353 Babcock Apr. 5, 1949 2,809,728Olson Oct. 15, 19-57 2,889,900 Singleton June 9', 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS1,157,391 France May 29, 1958

1. AN AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE COVER ASSEMBLY FOR A SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSHMOUNTED AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE POSITIONED ON THE OUTSIDE OF ABUILDING, SAID ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT EXTERIOR FRONTEND OF SAID AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE MOUNTED SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITHTHE ADJACENT EXTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID BUILDING AND HAVING AN OPENING FORCOMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID MACHINE TO PERMIT THE PASSAGE OFAIR TO BE CONDITIONED IN SAID MACHINE, A FORM-RETAINING COVER PLATE OFSUFFICIENT SIZE TO OVERLIE THE OPENING IN THE FRONT END OF THEAIRCONDITIONING MACHINE, SAID COVER PLATE BEING HELD OVER THE OPENING INTHE FRONT END OF THE AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE AND AGAINST THE FRONT ENDOF SAID MACHINE IN AIRTIGHT ENGAGEMENT THEREAGAINST, GUIDE MEANSPOSITIONED ON SAID FRONT END FOR REMOVABLY POSITIONING THE COVER PLATEOVER THE OPENING AND EXERTING A FORCE ON THE COVER PLATE WITH ACOMPONENT OF THE FORCE BEING NORMAL TO THE SURFACE OF THE FRONT END OFTHE AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE, SAID GUIDE MEANS HAVING A SURFACE WHICH,ON POSITIONING OF THE COVER PLATE, APPLIES A FORCE PRESSING THE COVERPLATE AGAINST THE AIR-CONDITIONING MACHINE FRONT END, AND FORCEEXERTINGMEANS AT A POINT SPACED FROM SAID GUIDE MEANS, PRESSING THE COVER PLATETIGHTLY AGAINST THE FRONT END AND HOLDING SAID COVER FIRMLY IN PLACE,THEREBY PREVENTING PASSAGE OF AIR THROUGH THE COVER AND ALSO PREVENTINGRATTLING OF THE COVER AGAINST THE FRONT END OF THE AIR-CONDITIONINGMACHINE.